George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Duniam, for asking a serious question. This morning, the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team charged two juveniles with terror-related offences, being: acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts, under section 101.6 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code, an offence which attracts a penalty of life imprisonment; and membership of a terrorist organisation, under section 102.3 of the Criminal Code, an offence which attracts a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

The juveniles, both aged 16 years, were arrested yesterday, by the New South Wales police, in possession of two bayonet-type knives. This successful disruption is the result of the highly effective coordination of the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes the New South Wales police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO. Australia's law enforcement and security agencies are among the best in the world, and, on behalf of the government, I commend those officers for disrupting, quickly and safely, what is alleged to have been plans for an imminent terrorist attack.

I can further advise there is no ongoing threat to the community in relation to this particular incident. Nevertheless, the national terrorism threat level remains at 'probable', as it has been since, under the old scheme, it was elevated to 'high' on 12 September 2014. That means that a terrorism event is assessed to be likely. We have experienced four terror-related attacks in Australia since the national terrorism threat level was raised in September 2014. This is now the 11th planned attack disrupted by our law enforcement and security agencies in that time.